- Julia Roberts and Clive Owen in Duplicity - copyright 2009 Universal Pictures
Ever wondered what happened if you mixed a Doris Day/Rock Hudson romantic comedy with The Italian Job (the Michael Caine version, not the Mark Wahlberg remake)?
You'd probably end up with something like Duplicity, a smart new heist comedy starring Clive Owen and Julia Roberts. Written and directed by Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton, The Bourne Ultimatum), it features stunning chemistry, courtesy of its two leads.
Tony Gilroy Writes, Directs Duplicity Starring Julia Roberts, Clive Owen
Former MI-6 agent Ray Koval (Owen) is a man with a serious hang-up in his past. Five years ago, he was seduced and outsmarted by CIA agent Claire Stenwick (Roberts). Now, he finds himself in New York City, doing corporate espionage for a drug company CEO Richard Garsik (Paul Giamatti) who wants to stick it to his rival Howard Tully (Tom Wilkinson). To top it all off, Koval's playing spymaster for the woman who burned him before, and who's currently being a double agent in Tully's company.
However, things aren't quite what they seem. Koval and Stenwick have actually teamed up to pull one over on both their bosses, in order to take home a very tidy sum of cash. But they not only aren't sure how much they can trust each other, but also have to wrestle with an increasing attraction.
A film like this lives and dies by the chemistry between the two leads, and Roberts and Owen shine here. Not only do they have genuine chemistry together, but they both convey the knife edge they're walking on: wrestling with how much they can trust the other.
Considering that Roberts has rarely done well in dramas, she works well here, downplaying her usual rapid-fire delivery. Clive Owen expertly underplays his character, inserting smart comedic notes into what is essentially a dramatic performance.
That said, there are things Clive Owen should not do: attempting an authentic Southern accent is one of them. Whether that was intended or not is unclear, but the British-born actor's Tennessee twang rivals Dick Van Dyke's Cockney accent in Mary Poppins for sheer winceability.
It would be redundant to say that Giamatti and Wilkinson play their roles well: both those actors alway shine, even when the script hasn't been on their side. Luckily, writer/director Gilroy has his ducks in a row on that score, putting together a movie that expertly balances tension and laughter. Even though Duplicity features plenty of flashbacks, Gilroy manages to keep it all running smoothly and coherently.
The flick isn't perfect – how a character manages to extricate himself from a tough situation is never quite made clear – it never loses the audience's interest.
Oh, and not to give anything away, but the ending features a twist that is a real "Where did that come from"? moment. Some people may find themselves watching the film again to try and figure out how it all worked.
The Final Analysis
Duplicity is that date movie with something for both guys and gals: plenty of intrigue and tension for the boys, and a sweet romantic subplot for the girls. It succeeds on both counts, and that's why it gets an 8/10.
Dominic von Riedemann - Dominic is the Animated Film Feature Writer, and winner of 11 Suite 101 Editors' Choice Awards.
